Lifestyle

Why do we celebrate “Dia de Muertos”?

Get to know the meanings behind this Mexican tradition in which we remember our lost ones

Courtesy Mostacho Blogspot

by Elizabeth Rosales

October 31 2013

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Every culture has it's own way of honoring it's dead, in Mexico, there are 2 specific days each year in which we visit them and pray for their rest. November 1st is for the children who died before their time, while November 2nd is used to remember adults who also passed away.

During these days, friends and family of the deceased go to graveyards where they rest to leave them flowers and different things, remembering the foods and objects they preferred when they were alive, and we mount them on altars as part of the ritual. All of this is done with the intention of “leading the soul of the deceased toward the time and space where they belong” as well as alleviate the grief of the living.

The celebration has it's origin in pre-hispanic Mexico although the way it is celebrated today actually carries a strong Spanish influence because of their conquest of Mexico.

Before that, the indigenous people used to celebrate "dia de muertos" (day of the dead) in August, a month which coincided with the harvest of corn crops, but with the arrival of the Spaniards they adapted this tradition to the religion which was imposed on them which was the catholic religion, it is because of this reason that the celebration coincides with two Christian celebrations: Day of the faithful deceased and All Saints Day.